Is there anything more important to productivity? Does your future as a business look brighter if there are smiles on those faces in the hall? You bet your bottom line.

You could invest a lot of money to help boost employee moral, but the simple truth is even the small things can make a big difference. Even on a tight budget you can make your employees feel appreciated. It’s been widely documented that employees respond positively when management offers praise and acknowledgement of their accomplishments. Even when it’s a relatively small achievement, recognizing an employee in front of their peers is a potent morale booster that endures… and can even translate into increased long-term loyalty!

Lots of companies are putting weekly or monthly morale-booster meetings on the calendar. We like to think of it as a “Cheers!” meeting. We’ve heard of other companies having “Cupcakes and Mocktails,” or holding a “Morale Mixer.” No matter what you call it, at its core, a “Cheers!” meeting is a moment away from their desks where everyone can toast a number of individual employees for all kinds of diverse achievements. You’ll not only put a smile on the faces of those you call out, but all of their friends and associates as well. Just be certain to recognize someone from each major department, and make certain there’s a mix of veterans and relatively new employees getting those Cheers! Awards.

The whole event starts with a beverage for toasting — from coffee and soft drinks to something more refined like Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Juice or Sparkling Cider. Recognize employees with framed paper certificates, or even funny gag gifts — a roomful of laughing employees feeling good about themselves and their coworkers is never a bad thing. You can recognize serious accomplishments, such as sales goals or contract wins, or even silly ones, such as “Bob didn’t burn his popcorn in the breakroom this week!” Once you’ve passed out awards and had a good laugh, give the employees some time to mingle, snack (did we mention that snacks are pretty much a must-have?), and take a breather. Sometimes just a few minutes away from their desks to recharge and not think about all the deadlines will completely change an employee’s outlook for the day or week.

Invest in your business by recognizing your people and discover the amazing reward of higher employee morale! Stop by your local Dollar Tree or shop online for all your snacks, drinks, and serveware, as well as frames for the certificates and fun little gifts — you’ll keep a smile on your face knowing you raised morale without breaking the budget.